Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus Chakra)

Understanding Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus Chakra) in Vedic Astrology

The Manipura chakra is also known as the solar plexus or navel chakra and is the third primary chakra according to Hindu Tradition. It is just located above the naval and below the rib cage and is the centre of our energy as it radiates vital life energy or prana throughout our entire body. This is the source of our will power as well as our self-esteem, our ability to achieve, raw emotions and sef discipline. This is the chakra which enables us to have a mental understanding of our emotional self. It not only governs the mental and emotional aspect of our psyche but also our psychic experiences. That gut feeling or feeling of intuition when you get when you are caught up in dilemma or other difficult situations comes from this chakra. This chakra also controls all aspects of the digestive tract including the assimilation of nutrients.

Vedic Astrology Analysis

Associated Element : Fire
Governing Planet : Mars
If Manipura chakra is blocked

Mental problems related to that are: Loss of Physical strength and action, independence, courage, will power, generosity, protection, clarity, Energy Drives.
physical problems related to that are: Sexual energy, head, blood, digestive system, bile, accidents, metabolism, burns fractures, fever, piles, skin rashes, electronic shock, suicidal tendencies, pancreas.

Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus Chakra) Location

This is the third chakra and is located at the navel or the place of resplendence. It is associated with the colour yellow and is believed to be involved in self-esteem, warrior energy and the power of transformation. It also governs bodily functions like digestion and metabolism. A healthy spirited manipura helps you to overcome inertia and jump starts the 'get up and go' attitude. This makes it easy for you to take risks, be assertive and exercise your will as well as assume the responsibility of one's life. It is also the location of deep belly laughter, warmth, ease and the vitality received from performing selfless service.

Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus Chakra) Appearance

This chakra is represented by a downward pointing red triangle, the fire region within a bright yellow circle with 10 dark blue or black petals like heavily laden rain coulds. In the centre of the triangle is a t-shaped swastika on each of its sides. The fire region of this chakra is represented by the god Vahni who is shining red and has four arms holding a rosary and a spear. It is making gestures of granting boons and dispelling fear. The deity is seated on a ram which is the animal that represents this chakra.

Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus Chakra) Seed Mantra

The seed mantra of this chakra is the syllable 'ram'. The deity of this chakra is Rudra who resides within the bindu or dot above this mantra and is either red or white. He has three eyes, is of ancient aspect and has a silver beard and smeared with white ashes. He maes the gestures of granting boons and dispelling fear. Seated upon either a tiger skin or a bull, the source of his Shakti is goddess Lakini who has a black or dark blue vermillion color. She has three face, each with three eyes and is four armed, holds a thunderbold and the arrow shot from the bow of Kama and fire and makes the gesture of granting boons and dispelling fear. She is seated upon a red lotus.

Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus Chakra) Petals

This chakra has ten dark blue or black petals which are like heavily laden rainclouds with the syllables dda, ddha, nna, ta, tha, da, dha, na, pa and pha upon them in a dark blue colour. These petals correspond to the vrittis of spiritual ignorance, thirst, jealousy, treachery, shame, fear, disgust, delusion, foolishness and sadness.

Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus Chakra) Function

The main function of this chakra is dynamism, energy, will power and achievement or itcha Shakti. All these radiate prana throughout the entire human body. This chakra is also associated with the power of fire and digestion as well as with the sense of sight and the action of movement. It is also the centre of etheric psychic intuition, a vague or non-specific, sensual sense of knowling, a vague sense of size, shape and intent of being. It is also recommended that one should listen to it as it may help in making better decisions in one's life on many different levels. Upon meditating on this chakra one is said to attain the siddhis of power to create and destroy the world.

Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus Chakra) Association with the body

This chakra is located either behind the navel or the solar plexus. Those times where it is located at navel a secondary chakra called surya or sun chakra is located at the solar plexus. The role of this chakra is to absorb and assimilate prana from the sun. Since this chakra is also associated with the sense of sight, it is associated with the eyes and as it is also associated with movement it is connected to the feet. In the endocrine system this chakra is associated with the pancreas and the outer adrenal glands, the adrenal cortex. These glands play a major role in creating important hormones for digestion, converting food into energy for the body, in the same way that this chakra helps to spread prana throughout the body.

Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus Chakra) Practices and awakening process

There are various ways and practices for awakening and arousing the energies of this chakra. In Kundalini yoga some of the practices for doing so include various asanas which work on that part of the body, pranayama, uddiyana bandha or exhaling and pulling back and up the abdomen and diaphragm respectively and also agnisara kriya which is the act of practicing jalandhara bandha and moving the abdomen in and out. It can also be aroused by the practice of nauli or stomach churning and a pranayama which calls upon the union of prana and apana where the lower and higher winds are made to unite together.

Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus Chakra) Comparison with other systems

In Vajrayana highest tantra traditions the navel wheel is considered to be extremely important as being the seat of the 'red drop' It is triangular, red and has 64 petals or channels which extend upwards. In Chinese qigong there are three dantians which act as furnaces to convert different energies in the body. According to the system of Sufi Lataif-e-sitta there are a number of lataif on the torso but are not distributed vertically like chakras but towards the left and the right. The western occultists make different associations with Manipura like the sephirot of Hod and Netzach. Netzach is the quality of energy to overcome different obstacles and Hod is the tendency to control the breakdown of energy into different forms.